Which Story Would You Most Like To Read?
by AndromedaHale
Summary: I can't write seven stories at once, but I've got a few good starts. Which of these do you think I should continue with? Input needed and appreciated. :
1. Which would you rather read?

I'm far from having writer's block, but on the contrary, I've just got too many ideas in my head. I've written the beginning chapter of seven different stories, and I'd like to know which one you think that I should finish first! The stories all follow an OC, and I haven't got any pairings set in stone so far, so I'm completely open to suggestions. Let me know what you want to hear. :D

The first chapter of each one is posted as a chapter here, and here are the summaries.

An Interactive Experience - The first person out of one million to find the magical quill on Pottermore is offered an up-close look into the world of J.K's creation, and she finds herself thrown into the world of wizardry that she so desperately wanted to believe in.

Wolves Among The Sheep - One moonlit night in the Forbidden Forest, a small girl with a big problem finds that she's not the only one.

My House, My Rules - The sixth year Muggle Studies project is announced: two months in America, living without magic. When the shy and brainy Loretta is paired up to live with the Marauders, will she stand up and lay down the rules, or be a doormat of sorts?

My Cousin Lives Under The Stairs - Dianne Dursley's little cousin was a wizard, and she supported him fully, even when her parents threatened to force her out of the house. On the first day of the summer holiday, when he arrived at number four, Privet Drive, he brought home a large, hairy friend. Moreover, his large, hairy friend brought big, exciting news.

Spinner's End - Severus Snape had only room for three in his heart, and there were no vacancies. One for Lily Potter, the woman he loved. One for Harry Potter, the child that had her eyes… and one for Eileen Snape, his daughter, whom he would keep safe from the dangers of the outside world. One day, Dumbledore announces to him that it is safe for her to come out of the house and join the other students at Hogwarts. Will he learn to let her live?

Family Friends (title subject to change) - The powerful, pureblooded Barker family is brought down by Voldemort himself, and their feisty teenage daughter's ability to see a person's death was the only thing that kept her alive. He offered to allow her to join him, and this backfired on him quickly as she grabs his wrist and sees his demise flash before her eyes. He fled, and left her in the rubble that once was the Barker Estate. She is taken in by Molly Weasley, her mother's best friend. While in hiding from the darkness, she takes her time to get to know her new family.

In The Middle of summer - Hazel Dearborn's parents like to travel. Hazel Dearborn doesn't. Her friend Ginny suggests that she stay at The Burrow for the summer, and when she arrives, fluff chapters with no real plot line ensue. (Just fluff, more than likely. Falling for Weasley boys. Blah-blah-blah.)

Can't wait to hear your input! :)


	2. An Interactive Experience

An Interactive Experience - The first person out of one million to find the magical quill on Pottermore is offered an up-close look into the world of J.K's creation, and she finds herself thrown into the world of wizardry that she so desperately wanted to believe in.

Blink. Blink. Breathe. Refresh page. Blink. Blink. Rage.

The pale glow of computer screen washed over Lilith's face as she grunted in frustration. She looked to the clock on her right, and glared at the numbers that read "4:03am". She had no desire whatsoever to be awake at that ungodly hour of the night, but still she was awake at her computer, awaiting the arrival of the first Pottermore clue. Her sleep-deprived hands were shaking as she pointed the mouse to the refresh button on the screen.

Blink. Blink. Refresh.

This time, the screen before her was different. Her body began to shake slightly, and she held in a scream that presented itself as a quiet squeak that echoed through the dark halls of her sleeping home. She quickly went to work and deciphered the clue. She typed in the web address, adding the answer of the clue at the end, and then began her search for the "magical quill". Within moments, it was hers. Lilith whispered aloud to no one in particular, "Joanne Rowling… is brilliant." She clicked on the quill and a message appeared on her screen.

"You are the first to find the magical quill. As the first out of one million lucky participants, J.K. Rowling would like to offer you a special, up close look into the world of her creation. Do you accept?"

She nearly flew out of her chair. Her mouse hovered over the "yes" button, and she exhaled deeply. She clicked the square button, and another window appeared.

"Pack your trunk. In thirty seconds, you will be redirected to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Lilith laughed at herself as she ran across her room, grabbing things for her trip to Hogwarts. She knew that it was only a website, but that did not stop her from grabbing a sweater, a scarf, the wand that she bought at the theme park, and a pair of socks in honor of Dobby. When she returned to her computer, a voice began to sound though the speakers. "Please grab hold of your computer mouse. I assume that you are familiar with Portkeys. Off we go." Lilith grabbed on and held her breath; or rather, she held her breath until she felt a lifting sensation, and the room began to spin.

During the time in which she traveled by Portkey, Lilith kept her eyes closed tightly. A voice, prerecorded by the sound of it rang through her ears. "Please state your age." it said. "Sixteen…" mumbled Lilith, not fully opening her mouth for fear of becoming sick. "Birthdate, please." said the voice. With her eyes still shut, waiting for the travels to end, she said, "October, the seventh." Suddenly and without any warning, the sick spinning sensation halted, and she felt her feet touch solid ground. She let out a sigh of relief before opening her eyes. When she looked around, she saw that she was in a dark room with five beds, each pointed towards the center of the room. She shook her head violently she was scared. Surely, if she was where she thought that she was, there was nothing to feel but joy and confusion. However, she was not sure that her assumptions were correct, and she was not completely comfortable thinking about how she got there.

She stumbled her way through the dimly lit room and into a hallway that was just as dark, and its walls were lined with seven intricately carved wooden doors. She opened one to find a room identical to the one that she had appeared in. She continued down the hallway to arrive at a staircase, and she then began her descent. There was no noise to be head but the sound of her own footsteps, which she found to be eerie and alarming. At the bottom of the staircase was a door, and on the door there was a typed note that said, "You can't enter your common room yet! Let us get you sorted. Behind this door, the sorting hat awaits you."

She pushed the heavy door open and found just that: the sorting hat was sitting on a stool at the end of the Great Hall, waiting for the next participant. Lilith found herself breathless when she took in the sight of the Great Hall. The sound of students chatting noisily filled hear ears, save for the first years, who stood next to you looking terrified. McGonagall pushed through the crowd of eleven year olds and grabbed Lilith by the hand. "Welcome to Hogwarts, dearie." she said, "Follow me." The Deputy Headmistress led her to the front of the room, and the first years followed her worriedly. McGonagall whistled loudly, grabbing the attention of every student in the room. "This year we have a new sixth year student joining us from the United States. Please make her feel welcome to her new home." she said, and then looked to the parchment in her hands, "Lilith Tierney?" Lilith felt a slight chill down her spine, and Goosebumps formed on her arms; this was the moment that she never thought would come… that she never even thought was possible. She walked to the stool in front of the professor and took a seat, and the hat was placed upon her head.

In her ear, a voice spoke quietly to her. Although she knew exactly what was happening, she still found it surprising and curious. "Merlin's pants. I won't waste your time, miss. It's clear to me, where you belong." the hat said in her ear, "SLYTHERIN!" The table on the far right began to cheer as she made her way across the Great Hall.


	3. Wolves Among The Sheep

Wolves Among The Sheep - One moonlit night in the Forbidden Forest, a small girl with a big problem finds that she is not the only one.

Time passed slowly, much to the displeasure of the beast that roamed across the moonlit clearing. It had waited out the night in the Forbidden Forest, pacing back and forth beneath the trees and seeking distraction from its intense hunger. There were only a few moments left in the night of the full moon, and the creature would soon be returning to its original form beneath the bright rays of the morning sun. The night had been quiet, with not a single animal daring to move and face the creature that it stood before. Suddenly, the creature tilted its ear in the direction of the bushes; there was a rustling noise though the leaves, and then a howl.

The creature shook its head and moved forward to take a closer look. The bushes moved once more, and a form emerged from the brush. It was another werewolf. The first wold looked up to the sky, and felt a tingling senesation as the rays of sunlight washed the fur from it's skin and pulled it up into a standing position. It was a woman, no older than fifteen, with dark hair and darker eyes; she was clothed in what she wore before she transformed: Ravenclaw robes. She looked back to the other werewolf, and from behind him emerged a well-groomed dog, a filthy looking rat, and a majestic stag. As she looked at them, they began to change just as she had. Without warning, three very familiar figures stood in front of her.

"Marauders." she whispered. The man that was a dog just moments ago looked at her curiously and said, "Silly Lori, you seem to have forgotten to mention to us that you, too, have a 'furry little problem'." She opened and closed her mouth a few times, failing to force any words to come out. Finally, she managed to say, "So… do you come here often?" with a wink.

The five of them all walked back to the castle in silence, each occasionally looking behind them to take in the handsome flow of the sunrise over the trees. When they arrived at the front door to the castle, James stopped. "We aren't going in until we all talk. Loretta, shall we go first, or you?" he said. Loretta looked down at her feet, far from excited to share her story with the boys. "Remus first," she said, "then we, and then you three. Deal?" The boys all nodded and in unison they said, "Deal."

Remus explained how he found himself in the dark predicament that they were discussing, and how he had been coping with it. He nodded at Loretta and said, "Your turn." She took in a deep breath. "I was in my second year," she began, "and I was out past curfew. I had a good reason, though. Lucius Malfoy and his friends tired a pair of my shoes together and charmed them to fly themselves out into the middle of the forest. Therefore, like a naïve and innocent girl that I was, I went after the shoes. I was sure that 'forbidden' was just a title given to the forest so that kids would not hide in it to avoid classes. In my twelve year old mind, there was no way that anything in that forest was going to hurt me."

Sirius let out a quiet laugh, and she glared at him. However, after a silent moment, she began to join him in laughter, though it was at her own expense. Soon, all five of the teenagers were cracking up at the absurdity of the idea: the Forbidden Forest is safe, and the adults just want to keep us from all of the fun. When their laughter died down, she spoke again. "Greyback was in the forest that night, and when he heard the shoes land there he ran to them, and waited for someone to claim them. He had me by the leg, and pulled me deeper into the forest. The centaurs fought him off, while Firenze carried me back to the castle. Dumbledore ensured me that he would tell no one, and that I could return to my classes once my wound had healed." she said.

There was a long and unbearable silence between the five of them, and so Loretta cleared her throat and said, "Well boys, it's your turn. Why aren't **you** human?" She laughed awkwardly and looked at James. "Unregistered animagi, we are. We saw that Moony over here was having a hard time, and we knew that he couldn't do it on his own. So we sneaked off into the-" James was prepared to continue, but Loretta held up a finger and interrupted him. "I don't want to know the sketchy details," she said, "but that's very sweet of you all, what you did for Remus. You know, taking care of each other."

Remus turned a shade of pink and said, "I didn't really need to be 'taken care of', but they were indeed a great help when it came to self control." Sirius shook his head and said, "Damn near babysat the man." She laughed at this and then turned her head towards the door. "Well then," she said, "shall we?" James nodded towards the wooden door and said, "We shall." They pushed open the heavy door and then stood awkwardly in the large corridor. The girl wondered what was proper to say to someone after you found out that they were a werewolf; was she to apologize, or something of the sort? The Marauders, however, had no trouble finding the words, as they had been through it before. "Moonlit strolls will never be romantic, in my eyes." Peter said, speaking for the first time that night. They all laughed, and Loretta parted ways with the four Marauders, making her way to her common room.


	4. My House, My Rules

My House, My Rules - The sixth year Muggle Studies project is announced: two months in America, living without magic. When the shy and brainy Loretta is paired up to live with the Marauders, will she stand up and lay down the rules, or be a doormat of sorts?

"Final Examinations. The most wonderful time of the year!"

Professor DeLaurise smiled brightly at her students, who, in return, sighed and placed their heads in their hands. She let out a dainty laugh and said, "Okay, you lot. I know that we don't often agree on things, but I do know **for certain **that you will enjoy finals this year just as much as I will. Do you want to know why?" Several students raised their heads in curiosity, while the rest buried their faces even further into their hands. "The reason why I enjoy sixth year finals is because, for me, it's a vacation. I won't have to be in the classroom, not once, for the next two months!" said Professor DeLaurise. As a group, the class rolled their eyes and placed their heads in their heads once more. The word "substitute" was being mumbled around the room. She giggled once more and said, "Of course, you all won't have to be here either." Suddenly, she had the undivided attention of every student in the room; even the James, Sirius, and Peter were hanging on to every word that she said. She smiled softly and said, "Very well. You will all be working in groups, which have been predetermined by yours truly." She reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out a large stack of folders, each with a name scribbled on the front. "Once you receive your folder," she said, "you are dismissed and may leave the classroom, as all of the necessary information in inside. However, you may find that you want to stick around in the room to better acquaint yourself with your new roommates." The entire class let out a gasp of shock at the word "roommate", wondering what kind of project they were stumbling into. The Professor began to hand out the folders, and the first to receive theirs was Adeline Halsey. She opened it to see the words "Muggle America: Disenchanted Sights" as the title. The further she read, the more she began to worry. "…two months in the muggle inhabited cities of America, during which you will practice living without magic. You and three teammates will lives in a housing complex called an 'apartment' (apartments are briefly summarized in chapter four of your course textbooks). Wands and brooms will be taken for safe keeping prior to your departure. The school will provide you with muggle currency." Adeline sighed deeply and looked around the room to see her classmates' faces painted shades of red and green, either angry or sickened by the revelation of the identities of their new roommates. She held her breath and flipped the page, and it said, "Living in the city of Bostwick, Georgia, will be Miss Halsey, Mister Black, Mister Potter, and Mister Lupin. Five times a week, a teacher will be apparating into the location to check on your group, to both ensure your safety and to confirm that you are all actually learning something on this trip. You are to depart at 9:00am on Tuesday morning. We wish you all the best of luck!" Adeline looked across the room at her new living partners; Sirius was combing his hair in the reflection of the window that he sat by, he smiled at himself and have his teeth a lick; James was fiddling with a golden snitch that he had caught in their last quidditch match victory against Hufflepuff; Remus was sitting quietly, reading his folder. She sighed and said aloud to no one in particular, "I **would** be the one person to be paired up with three Marauders…" There was a sudden, loud "WHOOP" made from the other side of the room, and she turned to see Sirius standing in his chair victoriously. "Double check it, Moony!" he said, "We're all in the group together?" Remus nodded and said, "Yes, but-" "THE MARAUDERS RULE AS ONE!" James interrupted him, and joined Sirius in standing on their chairs, the pair of them beginning to victory dance. Finally, Remus stood up, not on a chair but on the ground, and said, "Peter isn't in our group." He looked over to the chubby, awkward boy, who was chatting with his teammates. James looked at Remus curiously and said, "Then who's our fourth?" Remus pointed across the room towards Adeline, who then sunk low into her seat Sirius jumped down from his chair to come to eye level with Remus. "Does anyone know her?" James jumped down as well, and when his feet hit the ground, he said quietly, "I don't, but I've seen her around. She's quiet, and she reads. She's sort of like a sad little lovechild of Mooney and Snivellus." James and Sirius laughed loudly, but Remus sighed and said, "Her name is Adeline Halsey, she reads a lot of classical muggle literature, and has the highest grade in this class. I figure she's just the kind of person that we need on our team, so try to be nice." James and Sirius nodded their heads. "Yes, sir." they said in unison, mock politeness flashing across their faces. They all turned towards the girl and Sirius began to walk forward. The two others followed him, and he greeted her with an extended hand and a smile, "Hello, I'm Sirius. It would appear that you're in our group! Just a fair warning: you'll more than likely be doing most of the work on our final exam."


	5. My Cousin Lives Under The Stairs

My Cousin Lives Under The Stairs - Dianne Dursley's little cousin was a wizard, and she supported him fully, even when her parents threatened to force her out of the house. On the first day of the summer holiday, when he arrived at number four, Privet Drive, he brought home a large, hairy friend. Moreover, his large, hairy friend brought big, exciting news.

"Mum, where's Harry? I thought that he'd be home by now."

Dianne Dursley paced the floor of her living room at number four, Privet Drive. She was awaiting the arrival of her little cousin, Harry. Her family did not accept him the way that she did, but that wouldn't keep the determinedly sweet young girl from extending a hand of hospitality and being his friend when he arrived for another summer holiday. Her mother, Petunia, stuck her nose up into the air and said, "The later he arrives, the better. More time to ourselves, dear." Dianne sighed and gave a look of irritation towards her mother, as her little brother walked up to Petunia and looped his arm through hers. "I agree with mum," he said, "Maybe he won't show up at all!" At that, Dianne lost her patience. She leaped forward at Dudley and landed a hard fist on his shoulder. Her mother shouted, "Dianne Rose Dursley! Do **not** hit your little brother like that!" but her protest came to no avail. The young girl sent her fist flying once more at her brother, landing it in his gut, which jiggled violently and nearly hit her back. He winced, and she was almost surprised that he could even feel the blow through the belly fat that shielded him. "Harry is a quiet, patient boy, who has never done a single thing to harm you. Not on purpose, at least. No matter how well behaved he is around us, you treat him like a disease!" At this point, she was no longer speaking directly to her brother, but to her parents as well. "First he was kept under the stairs, which is sick enough, but then when he is given an actual room to sleep in, he's treated like a prisoner! What crime has he committed, other than being different from you?" Her father had entered the room when he heard from Petunia that she had punched their little boy. "I believe you mean…" Vernon said through gritted teeth, "…different from **us**." Dianne sighed and said, "No, father. From the Harry and I have quite a bit in common, right down to the uncontrollable black hair and typically laid back attitudes, and we get along very well." Petunia let out a terrified noise, and then mumbled something along the lines of "too much in common…" Suddenly, the doorbell rand, and Dianne's face lit up with the brightest excitement. "You don't have to ring the door bell," she said loud enough for him to hear through the door, "You live here!" At that, he burst through the door and received a great bear hug from his older cousin. Once he was released, he looked at Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. "Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia," he began, "someone is here to speak with you. He's… from my school." He stifled a laugh when he saw his uncle's face, and he sent a wide smile in the direction of Dianne. She loved meeting Harry's school friends. Before her parents could react, the door burst open once more, and through it walked a tall, hairy man, who wore a giant, worn out coat. Petunia let out a loud, blood-curdling scream and Vernon began to shake as they recognized the man who had brother down the door to the shack on Harry's eleventh birthday. Dudley backed up as far as he could, until his backside was pressed up against a wall, for fear of being given another pig's tail. "Oh come on, you great oaf!" Vernon shouted, "Leave her be, she's **normal**!" At this, the large man let out a low, bass toned laugh and said, "Vernon Dursley… never could see past your own nose, could you?" Vernon glared at the large man and said, "Of course I can! I can clearly see that there is no way that magical genes could survive in my bloodlines!" This time, the man laughed louder. "Of course they couldn't survive in your bloodline! You don't understand, do you?" he said, "Ever think that maybe, she's not your blood?" Petunia then screamed, "IGNORE HIM, he's like **them**!" She then eyed the man suspiciously and said, "When we hid Harry's letters, you picked him up within the week. Why did you wait so long to come this time? Perhaps, she's not as much of… a freak." Dianne turned to her mother in confusion and disgust. "OI! Hold on," she said, holding up one finger, "are you… isn't anyone going to fill me in on what's happening here?" Harry beamed at her and said, "Your mother and father have been keeping a few dirty little secrets, haven't they?" Dianne sent a petrifying glare in the direction of her parents, which send Petunia into a frenzy of confessions. "**Fine**. We only wanted what was best for you," she began, "and so we hid those silly letters. Of course, when Harry's came, we thought that we could hide his as well, but that one didn't go as planned. Always disrupting plans, he was…" she shot a dirty look at the boy, and Dianne shouted at her mother, "**Don't **look at Harry like that. He had nothing to do with this! It was all you, and no one else is to blame." Her father hung his head in shame. "What are we to do now, then?" he said, all of the strength gone from his voice, "Five years of effort, just to send her off in the hands of a giant beast. Well them, you'd best be off." Petunia's head shot towards him and she shrieked, "NO! I'm not giving up without a first, you coward of a man!" At that, she lunged towards her little girl and grabbed her up in a tight hug. Her embrace was far from affectionate, but simply protective, like a dog cuddling it's bone. "My little girl will not be going with you, sir." Dianne then wriggled her way our of her mother's grip and ran to Harry. She looked at her family and sighed. "Dudley," she said, "did you know?" He opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking like a dumbfounded fish. "No-no, no I didn't." he finally said, "I… I would've told you." Vernon waved his hand dismissively and said, "Get on with it then. If you're going to kidnap my child, at least make it quick." The giant looked down at the young girl and said, "You're a witch, Dianne."


	6. Spinner's End

Spinner's End - Severus Snape had only room for three in his heart, and there were no vacancies. One for Lily Potter, the woman he loved. One for Harry Potter, the child that had her eyes… and one for Eileen Snape, his daughter, whom he would keep safe from the dangers of the outside world. One day, Dumbledore announces to him that it is safe for her to come out of the house and join the other students at Hogwarts. Will he learn to let her live?

I was late.

Between Scarlett, her father, and the dark atmosphere of the house, the friendliest thing within a two-mile radius was her owl, which was not very friendly at all. She knelt next to her father's armchair in front of the fireplace and said, "Father, I'm tired of arguing with you. I refuse to stay alone in the creepy old house on Spinner's End once more. Please, let me go with you?" She had never wanted something so desperately in her life. She looked up at him with charming green eyes, trying harder than she ever had before, and she was silently given her answer.

"Staying here is going to drive me to insanity, and you show no desire to do anything to prevent it." she said. He looked at his daughter as if she had spoken in a foreign language. "I haven't a clue what you're talking about." he said, looking down once more to read the book in his lap. She pulled the book away from him and curled up into his lap like a cat, knowing that he hated affection. "You're so bleeding _dense_, father. I'm alone everyday, teaching myself out of these ruddy old books. Meanwhile, my father is at Hogwarts teaching other people's children and ignoring his own… and these children! I'll never get to meet them, because I'm a bloody secret! Why can't I just-" she was interrupted mid-rant by a brisk knock on the door.

Her motioned for to uncurl herself and stand up from his lap, and then rose to greet the unexpected visitor. He was clearly grateful for an excuse to leave the conversation, but was very curious as to why someone would be visiting at this hour, being that he remained unacquainted with everyone in Cokesworth. Behind the door stood a tall man, who wore a long grey beard and half-moon spectacles, which framed his startlingly blue eyes. The man smiled at her father and said, "Hello Severus. Is Scarlett home?"

Her father, Severus Snape, was the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was also Dumbledore's most trusted friend, and a Death Eater. To the world, he meant various things… but regardless, to Scarlett, meant the world.

She was introduced to Headmaster Dumbledore, and small talk was made between the two men. Her father was not usually the type to make small talk, unless he was trying to avoid one topic or another. Uninterested, she stared absentmindedly at the wall for a short while.

After several minutes of not listening to the two men talk about various mundane topics such was the weather, her mind was brought back to the room. Dumbledore had at last spoken to her, but her mind had been elsewhere. "Pardon me?" she spoke quietly. Dumbledore look at her with a soft smile and said, "Scarlett, I believe that it is time that you join Severus and I at Hogwarts." She gave a mixture of different looks at her father, varying from _"he should have intervened years ago" _to _"I told you so"_.

"Hogwarts is the safest place imaginable; but even still, the word about you and your… family tree… would have gotten out, and eventually gotten back to Voldemort. Dumbledore said, expecting her to flinch at the name, "I thought it best to keep you in hiding for the past four years, for fear of him using you to control your father. But I think that perhaps it might be safer for you to be known and be with us and to be a secret at home." She resisted the urge to laugh. The Dark Lord already knew about her. He knew her just as well as he knew her father, but he did not know of her family tree in it's entirety, and he specifically did not know of her mother, who happened to be the very next subject of discussion in Dumbledore's agenda. "Scarlett, her identity does not have to be a secret… but please be patient with people's reactions."

They continued discussing business for another hour or two until her father looked at the clock. "Well, sir. It is well past three in the morning, and Scarlett and I have to make an unexpected trip to Diagon Alley in the morning." he said, the corners of his lip twitching into an almost-smile. Dumbledore grinned and said, "I will be going. Farewell, Severus. Goodnight, young Scarlett." With that, Dumbledore left.

Two weeks had passed since she and her father had spoken with Dumbledore. The morning after the meeting, they had gone to Diagon Alley and bought all of her school supplies. She had packed her trunk a week and six days early, and she was left with nothing to do but wait. However, now September first had arrived and she was standing alone, dressed in muddle attire, at King's Cross. Scarlett's father had been at Hogwarts for a week now, but he'd left her directions as to how to get onto Platform 9 ¾. She ran at full speed into a wall, just as her father had told her, but all that had been accomplished was the smashing of her head against the bricks. She fell to the ground. "That git!" she spat angrily, sitting on the concrete.

As girl, who appeared to be her age, was walking unusually fast through the crowd. In her rush, she nearly tripped over the girl sitting on the ground. She turned around an began apologizing, saying, "I'm so sorry! Are you alright? And if I may ask, what are you doing on the ground?" She extended her hand to the girl and helped her up. Scarlett noticed that she looked very studious, like she dreaded every minute of the summer. She frowned at her observation and said, "I'm okay, and as far as being on the ground… um, I lost control of my luggage cart. Really, I'm fine though."

The girl looked her her, then at her trunk and owl cage, and then back to her. "Platform 9 ¾?" she asked, "It's the barrier between platforms 9 and 10." she smiled. Scarlett sighed deeply, after and adoration for her father built up inside of her as she said, "Ah, I see. My father told me that it was the wall next to the restrooms nearest platform 9." The stranger grimaced humorously and then they both let out a laugh. "Your father sounds… um, lovely." she said, "Well, my name is Hermione Granger." Scarlett paused and thought for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should say her last name. Would being a professor's daughter change others' opinions about her? "My name is Scarlett. It's lovely to meet you." she said.


	7. Family Friends

Family Friends (title subject to change) - The powerful, pureblooded Barker family is brought down by Voldemort himself, and their feisty teenage daughter's ability to see a person's death was the only thing that kept her alive. He offered to allow her to join him, and this backfired on him quickly as she grabs his wrist and sees his demise flash before her eyes. He fled, and left her in the rubble that once was the Barker Estate. She is taken in by Molly Weasley, her mother's best friend. While in hiding from the darkness, she takes her time to get to know her new family.

"Release her, you filthy murderer! I promise, you'll regret it if you don't!" she shouted loudly. Despite her best efforts, the shouting could not drown out the sound of her mother's screams.

The man, or perhaps the shadow of what once was, threw his hand over the woman's mouth and looked at the feisty teenage girl. He laughed lightly and sighed. "You show no fear? You truly are a delight." he said to the girl. He looked down at the woman who was under his arm, whose mouth was silenced by his hand. It was nearly two in the morning, and though the girl had grown tired from shouting for her mother's life, the last thing that she wanted was a reason to stop.

Taking out his wand, he pointed it at the woman and whispered, "Avada Kedavra." and with that, her mother was gone, joining her father in the mystery that is death. When the green light of the curse had faded, they stood in the darkness that was night. "Miss Barker, I did not come here to kill you. Your parents and I had unfinished business to take care of… but with you, I have other plans." he said, "I have heard gossip that you have a power… one that could be of great use to me. You can see how someone is going to die long before it happens, can't you?" He extended his thin, bony fingers towards her, expecting her to take his hand.

Chelsea Barker looked The Dark Lord directly in the eyes and began to walk towards him. Without breaking their eye contact, she walked until he was inches away from her, and she grabbed hold of his wrist tightly. She closed her eyes and saw his very demise unfold in her mind. She smiled and released his wrist, and said, "You die by the hands of a mere boy."

Voldemort did not take more than a second to react before he had pointed his wand to her body and shouted, "Crucio!"

The pain was he had like replaced the very blood in her veins with volcanic lava; like drinking a glass of straight razors; like a slow dance on hot coals, with an ex-lover's corpse, to a song that she did not particularly like.

She gasped repeatedly for air in between screams, until finally he released her from the unforgivable curse. He looked down on her with disgust and said, "You tell lies. Even still, you could be of great use to me. You have not seen the last of me, Miss Barker. I will be back to collect you one day soon." He made his flight with only those words, and left the rest in pieces; her home in flames and her parents' hearts without beats.

Tears began to stream down her face as she walked downstairs, into the yard, and then to the broom shed, cursing and talking to herself the entire way there. Nevertheless, she was in no rush to leave, for he was already long gone by now.

She had used a flame freezing charm so that she could walk through the house. She then packed the entire contents of her home, save for what had been burned, into her trunk with the aide of an undetectable extension charm. Next, she reversed the flame freezing charm, mounted her broom, used the levitation charm on her heavy trunk, and left the place she had once called home… to burn. Once in the air she circled the house, and then took off towards the west. She was left with no living relatives, and she had no house that was in her name. However, she knew of a place where she was told that she would always be welcome. She would go visit the Weasleys, down at The Burrow.

At The Burrow, there was a frantic knock at the door, and a long silence followed. Once more, a series of loud, hurried knocks, but no answer. Inside, a teenage boy with bright red hair stood in the kitchen, completely still. He was clutching his sandwich tightly, and hoping that the late-night visitor would simply go away. He was the only person awake at this hour, and did not wish to open the door. He wondered what kind of lunatic knocks on the doors of peaceful homes at three in the morning.

There was a muffled groan of irritation, and then from just outside the door came a voice. "Listen; there has never been an instance in which **everyone** in this house was asleep at the same time. Now whoever is in that kitchen, open the bloody door!" He recognized the voice immediately, and ran to the door. When he opened the door, he looked at her, shocked at her appearance. Her clothes were singed and she was barefoot, her face was puffy and red from tears. "Chelsea," he said, "what's happened?" He pulled her tightly into a hug and let her cry. When she felt that she could compose herself properly, she explained to him what had happened that night at the Barker Estate.

"I'm so sorry, Chelsea." said Ron, "I'll go wake everyone; they'll want to know right away." She grabbed the sleeve of his jumper and said, "No, please. Let them sleep, Ron. Your mum wakes up in two hours anyway, and the rest of the house in four." He nearly smiled through the seriousness of the situation, upon noticing the way that he understood how the family worked. "If you wish." he said, "Now, Bill and Charlie are in town, so the spare beds are taken. However, Fred isn't home at the moment. They fixed him right up at St. Mungo's on the Spell Damage floor, but they wanted to keep him for a while to observe. So you can take his bed if you'd like, until tomorrow or next, when mum can charm up a more permanent solution."

She looked down, smiling and laughing quietly. "A Permanent Sticking Charm, a fork, and Fred's shoulder… Fred and George really should be more careful." she said, "Well, if George isn't tossing and turning too loudly, I suppose I'll sneak past him upstairs and get some sleep. You should too, Ron. Abandon the sandwich, it's late." He smiled down at the short, brunette, now orphaned, ever-beaming girl who he was prepared to welcome into his family.


	8. In The Middle of Summer

In The Middle of Summer - Hazel Dearborn's parents like to travel. Hazel Dearborn does not. Her friend Ginny suggests that she stay at The Burrow for the summer, and when she arrives, fluff chapters with no real plot line ensue. (Just fluff, more than likely. Falling for Weasley boys. Blah-blah-blah.)

"You lazy witch. Get up. Mum won't serve breakfast until everyone is awake and at the table."

When it came to her best friend, Ginny Weasley always had a way with words. Not everyone has to see this side of the soft-spoken redhead, but Hazel Dearborn did, and more often than not. Hazel rolled over in her bed, growing more and more entangled in the covers. Ginny grabbed hold of the end of the bed sheet and said, "Please hurry. See? I even said please. That means I'm serious." and pulled the sheet out from under Hazel, leaving her in a tangled mess of covers on the cold floor. Ginny walked out of the room and strolled down the stairs in the calmest manner, as if she'd been through this routine a few too many times.

In fact, she had indeed. Hazel was to stay with the Weasleys until fall term began, while her parents traveled. It was only a week into summer so far, and the routine had already been established. Each morning began as thus: everyone in the house awakened before Hazel; Ginny assumed the responsibility of waking her; Hazel rolls out of bed and down the stairs in shorts and a nightshirt that read "Muggleborns Do It Better" across the front, which Mr. and Mrs. Weasley silently disapproved of. The only thing that was out of the norm about today was that there were ten chairs at the breakfast table, instead of seven.

Ginny suppressed a chuckle when she saw Hazel counting the chairs, and then counting redheads, because by the time that she had noticed that there were three to many Weasleys in the room, she had already reached the bottom of the stairs. Slowly, Hazel turned around and began to scale the stairs once more, hoping that she'd not already been seen; she fixed her fair frantically as she made her way back to her room. Half way up the stairs, she heard a loud crack: a noise that she immediately recognized as the sound of a wizard apparating. Suddenly, Fred and George were standing in front of Hazel, blocking her way to the top of the stairs.

"Oi, where are you headed to?" asked George. Hazel sighed and blew a strand of hair from her face. "I'm going to change out of my pajamas, brush my teeth, and put on deodorant." she said, clearly irritated. "Well," Fred said, "is there any particular reason why? You're usually perfectly happy in your pajamas all day." George nodded, and added, "…with breath strong enough to peel paint. Why the sudden change?" The twins glanced at each other and raised their eyebrows as George said, "Got your eye on a certain older brother of mine, eh?" Fred leaned forward and slyly spoke, "I hope it's me. I'm two minutes older than him, you know." he winked and took a step backwards up the stairs. "…but we'll stay out of your business." they both said in unison. "Even though we both know that it's Bill you fancy." added George. Hazel would have loved to push through the pair and into her room, but the twins' incredible height and strength far exceeded hers, even though she was indeed quite tall herself. She was given no choice but to turn around and face Bill as she was: messy hair, pajamas, morning breath, and all.

Ginny tried her hardest to stifle the laughter that swelled up inside of her upon seeing Hazel's attempt to look graceful at this ungodly hour of the morning. Her walk was nothing more than a sleepy stumble and her smile appeared to be nothing more than a nervous grimace. She composed herself as best she could and took a seat at the table, next to the second oldest Weasley brother. "Hi, Bill!" she said as she began to put food on her plate, "I wasn't expecting to wake up to a full house this morning."


End file.
